Porsche 911 GT3 revealed: four-wheel steering, auto only

The fifth-generation Porsche 911 GT3 has arrived in the 50th-anniversary year of the sports car icon with four-wheel steering but no manual gearbox.

Porsche has unveiled the sportiest 911 on the eve of its debut at the 2013 Geneva motor show, confirming the shock move to a dual-clutch transmission only.

That motor racing-derived, seven-speed ‘PDK’ gearbox transfers power to the rear wheels from the GT3’s 3.8-litre direct injection six-cylinder engine that produces 350kW and revs 500rpm higher than the previous engine, to 9000rpm.

The Porsche 911 GT3, which incorporates a launch control system, accelerates from 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 315km/h. It makes the new GT3 quicker even than the more hardcore RS and RS 4.0L versions of the previous model.

The Active Rear Wheel Steering is a production first for Porsche and turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels at speeds of up to 50km/h to aid manoeuvrability, and turns them parallel above speeds of 80km/h to aid cornering stability.

Dynamic engine mounts are included in the package as is a new electronically controlled rear differential lock, plus the electric steering set-up now being applied to all Porsche sports cars in place of the old hydraulic rack.

The rear body of the Porsche 911 GT3 is 44mm wider than that of the Carrera S, it sits on 20-inch forged alloy wheels, and there’s the signature large rear wing.

The Porsche 911 GT3 goes on sale in Europe in August. Porsche Australia says a limited number of GT3s will be available late in the year with pricing yet to be determined.